House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in a determinedly good mood when she sat down to lunch with reporters yesterday. She entered the room beaming and, over the course of an hour, smiled no fewer than 31 times and got off at least 23 laughs.

But her spirits soured instantly when somebody asked about the anger of the Democratic "base" over her failure to end the war in Iraq.

"Look," she said, the chicken breast on her plate untouched. "I had, for five months, people sitting outside my home, going into my garden in San Francisco, angering neighbors, hanging their clothes from trees, building all kinds of things -- Buddhas? I don't know what they were -- couches, sofas, chairs, permanent living facilities on my front sidewalk."

Unsmilingly, she continued: "If they were poor and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they would be arrested for loitering, but because they have 'Impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment."

Though opposed to the war herself, Pelosi has for months been a target of an antiwar movement that believes she hasn't done enough. Cindy Sheehan has announced a symbolic challenge to Pelosi in California's 8th Congressional District. And the speaker is seething.

"We have to make responsible decisions in the Congress that are not driven by the dissatisfaction of anybody who wants the war to end tomorrow," Pelosi told the gathering at the Sofitel, arranged by the Christian Science Monitor. Though crediting activists for their "passion," Pelosi called it "a waste of time" for them to target Democrats. "They are advocates," she said. "We are leaders."

It was a rather fierce response to the party's liberal base, which frightens many a congressional Democrat. But it wasn't out of character for the new speaker. Pelosi's fixed and constant smile makes her appear as if she is cutting an ad for a whitening toothpaste. But when you listen to the words that come from her grinning maw, the smile seems more akin to that of a barracuda.

One reporter asked about Democratic lawmakers who proposed a tax increase for the war. "They were not making legislation; they were making a point," Pelosi judged.

Another asked about a Republican congressman's complaints that the word "God" was removed from certificates accompanying congressional flags. "I don't know what his point is," Pelosi volleyed.

Complaints that she didn't go far enough on climate-change legislation? "We did not say we were going to do any more than we did."

The Senate's stalemate on the war? "We in the House will not be confining our legislation initiatives to what is legislatively possible in the Senate."

Pelosi admitted no mistakes and claimed no regrets as she reflected on her first session in the speaker's chair. "I'm very proud of the work of this Congress," she declared. Evidently so: She repeated how "proud" she was nine times. Passing the recommendations of the 9/11 commission made her "very proud," while energy legislation made her "very, very proud," and new ethics rules made her "especially proud."

Even those approval ratings for Congress, in the teens and 20s, didn't evoke regrets. "I don't like the numbers for Congress," she admitted, but "I'm very pleased with the Democratic numbers." She then took an unusual detour into polling minutiae. "Today the Rasmussen numbers were the third time that we were double-digit ahead in the generic," she reported, "and the third month in a row we were in the high 40s."

Holders of high office typically avoid discussions like that because it makes them look, well, political. But Pelosi did not hesitate to plunge into the political, explaining that "it was so important for us to bring the president's numbers down two years ago on Social Security" because it discouraged Republican candidates from running for Congress.

Pelosi may have realized that her words sounded too calculating, for at one point she begged the reporters' indulgence for her to "be allowed a partisan moment." She smiled at her joke, then chuckled.

The ready grin seemed at odds with other body language that suggested Pelosi was not having an enjoyable lunch. She ignored her salad and roll, then waved off the chicken and vegetables and left her dessert untouched. "The tea is fine," she told the waiter, taking her first sip more than halfway through the lunch.

But the smile had its uses. She smiled warmly while telling a reporter in the room that his story was completely wrong. She laughed heartily when somebody mentioned the awkward interview in which Whoopi Goldberg expressed a lust for Pelosi's husband. She grinned when mentioning the fight over children's health care. And she laughed while discussing how she has "striven" to work with Bush on Iraq. "Is that a word? 'Striven'? " she asked.

It seemed that only the antiwar advocates had the power to wipe the smile off Pelosi's face. Speaking about ethics legislation, she boasted that "we have drained the swamp" in Congress and pleased government watchdog groups. "At last," she added, "some advocates from the outside who are satisfied."

Fighting bullshit with bullshit doesn't do much for the populous. These two parties are too entrenched and secure in their positions.
"They were not making legislation; they were making a point," Pelosi judged.
Perfect example.

Stupid broad forgot that she was elected because she billed herself as an anti-war activist too.

Until the Republican Party gives up sixty votes in the House and fifteen in the Senate, opposition to the war is pointless. I say let the GOP have it's war, the thing is a disaster and so far nothing is saving it. Petraeus, absent the other 200,000 troops he needs to win the thing as predicted at the start of this war, has done an admirable job of winding it down to a daily world of violence and murder slightly less than it was before, yet the government of Iraq remains as ineffective and nonexistant as it ever was. It has become a status quo of insanity. While the insanity continues, it causes total distraction, division and obsession way more in the ranks of the Republicans than it does for the Democrats. The Republicans have to go back to their states and districts and defend this fucking mess. It will lead to a disaster at the polls for them that they have not seen since 1933, with Hillary Clinton taking the helm, so I am fine with all of it. It is only by putting a veto-proof majority in Congress that we can make the structural changes to this government that will prevent another fascist cunt like George Bush from ever fucking the American public in the ass again.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

Until the Republican Party gives up sixty votes in the House and fifteen in the Senate, opposition to the war is pointless. I say let the GOP have it's war, the thing is a disaster and so far nothing is saving it. Petraeus, absent the other 200,000 troops he needs to win the thing as predicted at the start of this war, has done an admirable job of winding it down to a daily world of violence and murder slightly less than it was before, yet the government of Iraq remains as ineffective and nonexistant as it ever was. It has become a status quo of insanity. While the insanity continues, it causes total distraction, division and obsession way more in the ranks of the Republicans than it does for the Democrats. The Republicans have to go back to their states and districts and defend this fucking mess. It will lead to a disaster at the polls for them that they have not seen since 1933, with Hillary Clinton taking the helm, so I am fine with all of it. It is only by putting a veto-proof majority in Congress that we can make the structural changes to this government that will prevent another fascist cunt like George Bush from ever fucking the American public in the ass again.

Absolutely and completely correct. The obstructionist rubber stamp Republicans will be unable to to defend the indefensible, and will be swept from office in a rout.

Even the corporate agenda money which hews to no party, will go to the Democrats, because money buys power, they know which way the winds of change are blowing.

It is only by putting a veto-proof majority in Congress that we can make the structural changes to this government that will prevent another fascist cunt like George Bush from ever fucking the American public in the ass again.

I wouldn't expect much of a change as Hillary polishes off her strap-on.
She's as dirty as anybody. Don't think she won't abuse the power.

Until the Republican Party gives up sixty votes in the House and fifteen in the Senate, opposition to the war is pointless. I say let the GOP have it's war, the thing is a disaster and so far nothing is saving it. Petraeus, absent the other 200,000 troops he needs to win the thing as predicted at the start of this war, has done an admirable job of winding it down to a daily world of violence and murder slightly less than it was before, yet the government of Iraq remains as ineffective and nonexistant as it ever was. It has become a status quo of insanity. While the insanity continues, it causes total distraction, division and obsession way more in the ranks of the Republicans than it does for the Democrats. The Republicans have to go back to their states and districts and defend this fucking mess. It will lead to a disaster at the polls for them that they have not seen since 1933, with Hillary Clinton taking the helm, so I am fine with all of it. It is only by putting a veto-proof majority in Congress that we can make the structural changes to this government that will prevent another fascist cunt like George Bush from ever fucking the American public in the ass again.

Absolutely and completely correct. The obstructionist rubber stamp Republicans will be unable to to defend the indefensible, and will be swept from office in a rout.

Even the corporate agenda money which hews to no party, will go to the Democrats, because money buys power, they know which way the winds of change are blowing.

...Thus Jack took possession of the castle. The fairy went and brought his mother to him, with the hen and the harp. He had the giantess buried, and endeavored as much as lay in his power to do right to those whom the giant had robbed. Before her departure for fairyland, the fairy explained to Jack that she had sent the butcher to meet him with the beans, in order to try what sort of lad he was.

"If you had looked at the gigantic beanstalk and only stupidly wondered about it," she said, "I should have left you where misfortune had placed you, only restoring her cow to your mother. But you showed an inquiring mind, and great courage and enterprise, therefore you deserve to rise; and when you mounted the beanstalk you climbed the Ladder of Fortune."

She then took her leave of Jack and his mother.

The End.

-Marty

"...pour out of one vessel into another; and as those old Romans robbed all the cities in the world, we skim the cream of other men's wits, pick the choice flowers of their tilled gardens to set our own sterile plots."
-a Richard Burton

Until the Republican Party gives up sixty votes in the House and fifteen in the Senate, opposition to the war is pointless. I say let the GOP have it's war, the thing is a disaster and so far nothing is saving it. Petraeus, absent the other 200,000 troops he needs to win the thing as predicted at the start of this war, has done an admirable job of winding it down to a daily world of violence and murder slightly less than it was before, yet the government of Iraq remains as ineffective and nonexistant as it ever was. It has become a status quo of insanity. While the insanity continues, it causes total distraction, division and obsession way more in the ranks of the Republicans than it does for the Democrats. The Republicans have to go back to their states and districts and defend this fucking mess. It will lead to a disaster at the polls for them that they have not seen since 1933, with Hillary Clinton taking the helm, so I am fine with all of it. It is only by putting a veto-proof majority in Congress that we can make the structural changes to this government that will prevent another fascist cunt like George Bush from ever fucking the American public in the ass again.

You are of course correct, it's absolutely amazing what the democrat lead congress has done in the last 10 months to change the situation.
Maybe when Hillary gets in office as she expect to she will stop the war in its tracks.......
Oh, wait a minute that's not exactly what she said she would do is it?

"Negotiating with Obama is like playing chess with a pigeon, the pigeon knocks over all the pieces, on the board and then struts around like it won the game."Vladimir Putin

"They have gun control in Cuba. They have universal health care in Cuba. So why do they want to come here?"Paul Harvey 8/31/94

"The only people who have quick answers don't have the responsibility of making the decisions." Justice Clarence Thomas

1. Hillary chooses to disregard and ignore the national intelligence estimate in regard to Iraq prior to the authorization vote.

2. She gives a commanding speech on the Senate floor urging all to support the administration and authorize the invasion of Iraq, despite not having read the best available intelligence on the subject beforehand.

3. She now refuses to admit any wrong doing, and in fact claims that she had no idea whatsoever that she had voted to authorize an invasion, rather than a small and informal tea party between Bush and Saddam Hussein. What a cunt.

Based upon that alone, it seems fair to suggest that even GW Bush has more integrity than Hillary Clinton.

"If spending money you don't have is the height of stupidity, borrowing money to give it away is the height of insanity." -- anon

1. Hillary chooses to disregard and ignore the national intelligence estimate in regard to Iraq prior to the authorization vote.

2. She gives a commanding speech on the Senate floor urging all to support the administration and authorize the invasion of Iraq, despite not having read the best available intelligence on the subject beforehand.

3. She now refuses to admit any wrong doing, and in fact claims that she had no idea whatsoever that she had voted to authorize an invasion, rather than a small and informal tea party between Bush and Saddam Hussein. What a cunt.

Based upon that alone, it seems fair to suggest that even GW Bush has more integrity than Hillary Clinton.